TOKYO (Jiji Press) The Japan Sumo Association at an extraordinary board meeting

on Wednesday put off its decision on its possible action against Takanohana,
stablemaster of Takanoiwa, over former yokozuna Harumafujis assault on the junior
wrestler.

Harumafujis stablemaster, Isegahama, resigned from the board to take

responsibility for the incident.

Some in the association have rapped Takanohana, chief of the professional sumo-
governing bodys local tours, for failing to fulfill his responsibility of
reporting to the group the assault case, which happened while wrestlers were on a
regional sumo tour in late October.

At an extraordinary meeting of the yokozuna promotion council, held earlier on

Wednesday, most of its members criticized Takanohana, saying that he failed to meet
his responsibility as a board member of the sumo association.

The board of the association has received a final report from its crisis management
committee on the investigation of the assault case. But it refrained from making a
decision on its action against Takanohana, because the committee has still been
unable to interview the stablemaster.

On Harumafujis violence against Takanoiwa, the committee said, Using violence can
never be tolerated for any reason.

Harumafujis use of violence by itself deserves strong condemnation, the committee

added. Harumafuji retired from the professional sumo world late last month to take
responsibility for his assault on Takanoiwa.

Both Harumafuji and Takanoiwa are from Mongolia. The incident happened over drinks
in Tottori during the sumo tour.

The yokozuna promotion council concluded that Harumafujis assault deserved

retirement from professional sumo.

At the meeting, the association decided to slash pay for yokozuna Hakuho and
Kakuryu, acting on the councils view that the two Mongolian grand champions, both
of whom took part in the drinking party, had a chance to stop Harumafuji.

For Hakuho, all of his pay for January and half of his February salary will be cut.
Kakuryu will have the whole of his January pay reduced.

Hakkaku, chief of the association, will receive no pay for the remaining three
months of his term